THE STATE OF GOA

**************DEVACHEA NAVAN ANI GOEMCARANCHEA MANNANK*******************
This blog is an attempt to delve into the traditions, heritage, culture, lore and ambience that spawned an enigma. A state of mind. And to perchance perform a perfunctory probe into the psyche of the Goemcar. ************************************************************************************************* GOEMCAR: Any person anywhere in the world - Goemcar rogtacho!

Viva Amchi Bhas

Dnyanpeeth awardee Kelekar calls for formation of Konkani state:Noted writer and Gandhian thinker, Ravindra Kelekar, who has bagged the prestigious Dnyanpeeth award, on December 15, has called for the formation of a Konkani state with the inclusion of all Konkani speaking areas from Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, Goa and Jog Falls in Karnataka. Kelekar made the statement while replying to his felicitation jointly organised by the Goa Konkani Academy, Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Asmitai Pratishthan and all the Konkani kendras from different talukas of Goa. [HERALD]

Language row mars Kelekar’s felicitation:Goa’s official language politics cast its shadow on the function held at Ravindra Bhavan to felicitate Jnanpith award winner Ravindra Kelekar, which was otherwise a somber occasion. The president of Goa Konkani Academy Pundalik Naik warned Chief Minister Digambar Kamat over any attempts to amend the official Language bill. “Give what is good for the people, not what people ask,” he advised Kamat. Continuing with his tirade, Naik then directed his barbs at Roman Konkani protagonists saying he tolerated ‘diversity’ but not ‘separatism’. “Separatism mixes poison and indicates terrorism. There are efforts to disturb unity,” he warned the Chief Minister.[GT]Comment: I know Pundalik Naik from the days of the Konkanni agitation. He was a good Convener. A good publicist. A good figure head. Thousands of Goemcars gave money, time, and even their lives. Amongst these a vast majority of active participants were members of the Catholic populace of Goem. I do not know how logical or ethical it is for Pundalik-bab to deny the chief participants, nay the architects of the agitation, their wishes. His directive to the Chief Minister, not to give to the people what they ask for but only that what is good for them,unfortunately, has been the mantra of those down the ages, whom have been bent on denying the rights of man. Is Pundalik is wannabe dictator?The clarion call by Bab Ravindra Kelekar sets my blood racing. This could be one of the best opportunities available for us 'Koknne', the Konkanni speaking masses, to seize the initiative and seek our very own state, where our mother tongue, though in varied accents, will be spoken by an overwhelming majority of the denizens.If we can set aside our religious bigotry then the sky is the limit.Viva Konkanni.SincerelyXanno Moidecar